The work examines the causes, varieties, and observable phenomena of inebriation, surveying alcohol and other intoxicating agents and how their effects vary with individual temperament and with the substance used. It offers physiological and pathological accounts of intoxication, treats sleep and related consequences, and contrasts the actions of opium and alcohol. Practical sections describe methods for managing a fit of drunkenness and for treating habitual inebriety, and consider judicial and social responses alongside temperance societies. Additional chapters discuss effects on nurses and children, circumstances in which liquors may be less harmful, and include pharmacological notes and tables.